Mt Etna eruption Flashcards
What plates were involved in forming Mt Etna?
What type of plate boundary is it?
The African plate which is subducting below the Eurasian plate
What type of volcano is Mt Etna?
Strato Volcano
Where is Mt Etna?
Sicily, Italy (Sicily is located South West of the Italian mainland)
When did Mt Etna erupt?
November 2002
Why was a medical ship stationed off the coast of Catania?
To tend to any potential casualties from the eruption, especially if the situation escalated
Why were rescue workers deployed?
To divert lava away from key infrastructure, using berries and diversionary lava channels, and to provide aid to anyone trapped or injured by the eruption?
How did the Italian government provide financial assistance to individuals and businesses?
They offered tax breaks to affected citizens and paid out £5.6 million in immediate financial assistance and compensation to businesses
What were the primary effects?
- Clouds of gas and ash were ejected from two vents, one of which was newly formed.
- Magma was thrown over 100m in to air.
- Lava flowed down the mountainside in two separate flows.
- Ash fell onto the city of Catania and reached as far as Libya.
How many homes in Santa Venerina were damaged?
Over 100
How did holiday homes provided disaster relief?
They were reposted by the Italian government and used to house displaced residents
How many people were evacuated from the area?
Approximately 1000
What impact did the eruption have on local education?
Schools in the area closed down
How long was Catania airport closed for? Why?
4 days, due to the implications of volcanic ash on aviation
What impact did the eruption have on the slopes surrounding the volcano?
- Ski slopes (businesses- tourism) were largely destroyed and couldn’t operate for an extended period of time
- Hundreds of hectares of forest were destroyed on the slopes
